GhostBed: The Complete Product Review and Comparisons (2019 Edition)

Last Updated On September 6th, 2019

Choosing a new mattress has always been a pain point for many people because until recently, most have always taken the traditional route. You probably know it well. It involves visiting a furniture store, entering a warehouse full of seemingly identical beds, and being pressured by a salesperson to choose how well you’re going to sleep for the next 5-10 years on the spot.

When new manufacturers began offering to streamline the process and make it all possible from the comfort of your own home, many people jumped at it. The analysis paralysis that comes with hearing a million and one stats on mattresses you’ve never heard of before is no longer necessary because now it can all be done online, at your leisure.

We know how personal buying a new mattress can be. But we also know that providing useful information can not only help people overcome these unnecessary trips and unwanted hassle but also help people make the best decision possible when it finally comes to parting with your money.

So, next in our series of reviews from the best mattress brands around, I’ve put together a complete comprehensive review of the GhostBed mattress by Nature’s Sleep. Unlike most other GhostBed reviews found online, I’ve added a complete product overview and lowdown, a roundup of recent social media reviews, and a product comparison with three other comparable mattresses. Ready? Let’s get started.

The Product Review

GhostBed is a new mattress from Nature’s Sleep, a veteran manufacturer in this industry, adapting to the new and rapidly expanding world of selling mattresses online.

The GhostBed is a medium to medium-firm hybrid latex and gel memory foam mattress. It differs from many of the competitors in this price range because the top layer is made of latex. The latex layer adds a durable and supportive yet cooling feature through an aerated cover, and a bit of bounce to the top of the mattress, a feature most whole memory foam mattresses don’t have.

You’ll find you might like the GhostBed if you’re looking for something with a fast reaction to body movements throughout the night, and a slow contour for soft support when you sleep.

However, if you are looking for a deep cushioning plush mattress, or if you have a latex allergy, you may want to opt for a different mattress brand or range. You’ll also want to avoid GhostBed if you sleep exclusively on your stomach. Mattresses for stomach sleepers tend to be better when soft rather than the medium to medium-firm offered by GhostBed.

Characteristics Of A Good Mattress

Generally, most hybrid mattresses will include the same basic parts regardless of whether it’s priced at $500 or $5,000. The difference typically lies in the quality of the materials and, more importantly, the thoughtfulness involved in constructing the layout within.

There are many things to look for when you assess the quality of materials and construction such as motion isolation, lifespan, and heat generation. We take a look at these below:

Motion Isolation

Most new hybrid latex and memory foam mattresses score well in motion isolation. You will find that the construction and choice of materials play a significant role in motion transfer. If you’re sharing a bed with someone who moves around a lot, or perhaps you both sleep at different times, and movement within the bed causes a disturbance, you’ll be more concerned about the motion isolation provided by the mattress. If this is you, keep an eye on this within the features and benefits section of the GhostBed review further below.

Lifespan

Second, you’ll generally want to look for something which has a lengthy lifespan. Common sense says that cheaper models tend to last fewer years than more expensive mattresses, but this doesn’t always ring true. Additionally, you’re not only looking for a mattress that provides stability or support over a decade, but you also want one that doesn’t shift and change over the first few months or years of use.

Construction and material quality play a significant role in this because low-quality memory foam or latex will be more likely to shift. Additionally, a sub-par base layer will begin to lose support, which means you could be shopping again sooner than you think.

Cooling System

Finally, the cooling system is a part of the construction that is beginning to pick up steam among mattress manufacturers. Simply put, some of us get rather hot and sweaty at night for numerous reasons, but few of us want to wake up or have our sleep disturbed because of it. We’d rather not wake up in a pool of sweat but would still like the best mattress that money can buy at the cheapest price.

Older memory foam mattresses in particular often included an aerated cover and a promise that you wouldn’t sleep hot. But a high-quality modern mattress today typically includes both the aerated cover and some sort of gel, or other layer of cooling system. The effectiveness (or requirement) of these cooling systems is sometimes a matter of personal preference. If you sleep hot, you’ll notice a greater difference than if you don’t.

As we mentioned above, gel foam is typically a good material for effective cooling of the hot sleeper. It is also a layer that the Ghostbed has tucked between its latex top layer and foam base. Here are some of the ways the use of gel can impact how cool the mattress is:

The way the gel is infused into the memory foam

The layer of the mattress the gel is placed within

The quality of the gel

Other added cooling mechanisms

Each of these individual characteristics, as well as the combination of these factors, play a substantial role in how cool a mattress feels. Be sure to keep an eye on the individual cooling system of the mattress if you’re a hot sleeper.

Ghostbed Mattress Features and Benefits

Now that we have covered the basics of what to look for in a good mattress, let us continue our Ghostbed review and dive into the features and benefits of the mattress in question. For ease, I’ll break them down into four categories:

Firmness

The GhostBed falls between a medium to medium-firm, which will appeal to most people, especially those who like support and pressure point relief, but without the sinking feeling that comes with traditional memory foams. Some customers have stated the mattress starts out feeling much more like a firm when you first lay down, but after a few minutes begins to feel more towards a medium-firm.

The way you’ll experience firmness on this mattress is impacted by the interaction between the latex layer and the memory foam layers. I’ll explain both of these layers in more detail in the next section.

However, it’s worth noting that the first thing you’ll notice when laying down on the bed will be the latex, which responds to pressure instantly. The latex bounce response is likely why the bed feels firmer when you first lay down on it. However, once the memory foam begins to respond to the pressure you’re putting on it, the mattress evens out.

As a side note, I enjoyed this feeling. As someone who has traditionally been on the edge of being a memory foam mattress person, I like that the GhostBed doesn’t immediately allow you to sink in or spend time creating a full body contour. I prefer to get the support where I need it when I need it, and of the mattresses in the same category, the GhostBed has come closest to providing that for me.

Four Good Layers

One of the key differences between well-constructed mattresses like the GhostBed and its upmarket or even down-market competitors is not only the number of layers, but also the type, and placement which makes up its construction.

A well-designed mattress will usually have multiple layers, often between 2-4 is the most common. Either can be adequate and is often put together in a way to achieve 5 of the best characteristics, some of which we touched on above (motion isolation, comfort, support, cooling, lifespan).

Of all the materials and possible combinations which can exist, the Ghostbed mattress has three very carefully selected layers which have been combined to make this product worthy of review. We discuss them below:

Foam Base Layer

The all-important base layer is crucial for preventing motion transfer and for preventing the sagging that occurred in older memory foam mattress models. A GhostBed mattress offers a base layer with 7.5” of core foam which provides an abundant amount of support.

Gel Memory Foam Middle Layer

GhostBed added 2” gel memory foam on top of the base layer for the contouring experience you expect from a memory foam mattress. Gel is often added to memory foam models as a way of keeping the mattress cool during the night, preventing hot sleepers from waking up covered in sweat.

Latex Comfort Layer

The latex layer is a unique feature on the GhostBed, and if there was one reason to choose this model over a similar mattress, it is for this feature. A typical memory foam mattress offers contouring support that allows you to sink into the foam a little bit or a lot depending on the firmness of the mattress, type of foam, and the overall construction of the mattress. Most manufacturers stop here because it’s what customers expect and it’s what many customers want.

However, GhostBed’s latex comfort layer adds a bit of bounce on the top of the mattress, meaning it gives you an extra boost when you’re getting up in the morning and more closely resembles a traditional coil mattress. The latex top layer is also said to help keep the mattress cool because unlike other mattresses, the top layer isn’t another layer of heat-trapping viscoelastic memory foam.

Cover

The whole mattress is wrapped in a polyester cover, which some people report as being very comfortable, particularly compared to older mattress models. It’s also a thin cover, which again helps with air circulation and cooling. I particularly like the zippered cover, which makes it far easier to remove and clean. It’s a feature that not many mattress manufacturers think of despite memory foam mattresses being known for trapping heat and causing you to sweat.

Cooling System

GhostBed’s approach differs from other companies considering its cooling system starts with the cover, because it’s the layer you come in direct contact with during the night. Their cover is designed to balance feel and performance by employing a “breathable moisture wicking micron” fabric to help your body cool itself down naturally.

The system also extends into the top latex layer of the bed. The aerated latex design is supposed to help your body regulate temperature without waking you up. GhostBed notes its “cool burst technology” as the source of the coolness. Because the latex layer allows for continuous air intake, it will enable cooler air to go into the mattress and warm air to leave, preventing warm air from being trapped in the mattress all night.

According to GhostBed’s website, the mattress provides “real-time continuous cooling”. The air flow in the latex layer is said to allow the mattress to perform to your body temperature in real-time. So, if you’re heating up, one side of the bed, it should allow cool air to come in and help cool you down.

Finally, there is the gel in the second layer of the mattress. The gel they use is proprietary and patent pending sensory cooling gel.

Is The GhostBed Mattress Right For You?

Although the GhostBed mattress is an extremely good product that has been made to the highest standard, not every mattress suits every person. Here’s a quick guide to see if it may be the one for you:

You Can Sleep In Most Positions

GhostBed mattresses are good for customers who like hybrid latex and memory foam mattresses and find they’re flexible when it comes to sleeping position. The mattress is a medium feel and offers enough support whether you sleep on your back or side. The mattress’s firmness is perfect for changing sleeping positions throughout the night. This is great news because being a medium feel that appeals to multiple sleeping positions is certainly a large majority of people. However, if you primarily a stomach sleeper, you might not like the firmness offered by the GhostBed. Exclusively stomach sleeping often requires a softer option than what the GhostBed brings.

You Sleep Hot

It’s also a good option if you sleep hot and that has previously steered you away from memory foam mattresses. Although there’s enough memory foam to provide the comfort and support you need, the top latex layer and the thin mattress cover help keep the mattress cool throughout the night. More importantly, it’s the 2 inches of gel memory foam that lies under the 1.5 inches of latex that makes the Ghostbed cool as a cucumber. As we mentioned above, gel is something that has very effective cooling properties when infused into memory foam, and Ghostbed makes the most of this wonderful innovation.

You Like Memory Foam, But Also Like The Springiness Of Latex

If you’re sold on memory foam prior to this but don’t want to give up the push-back or springiness feeling that comes with a traditional mattress, you’ll find GhostBed is a middle-of-the-road alternative that suits both needs. Yes, there are other hybrid mattresses that combine memory foam and spring, but usually, the top layer is foam and the base is made of spring. This creates the same heat trap and sinking sensation but with the springy base to supplement and support. With the Ghostbed, there is no heat trap or sinking sensation because the latex has springy properties and can dissipate heat very effectively. What little heat that may pass through the latex, will be channeled through the gel foam, thus creating an overall cool, supportive, cradled and somewhat traditional springy, or bouncy feel to it.

Social Proof

Our reviews are designed to provide a comprehensive look at the GhostBed, but we know that we’re just one opinion. There are certain things other customers will notice about it that we might miss. So, we scoured the web to find some social media reviews of the GhostBed to provide you with a more balanced perspective on the mattress itself as well as what it’s like to order from GhostBed.

Alternative Mattresses

The GhostBed mattress has some serious competition, but it’s possible to identify distinct differences between the GhostBed and its competitors. In this section, we’ll compare these three related mattresses with GhostBed:

Purple Mattress

The Purple mattress is another constructed out of three layers. It’s similar to the GhostBed because it was designed to provide bounce despite containing 2 layers of polyurethane foam nearer the bottom.

However, this is where the mattresses’ similarities begin and end.

The top layer providing long lasting durability and support on the Purple mattress is made from a hyper-elastic polymer, not latex, which means it provides a bit more bounce too. You’ll remember that the latex and foam on the GhostBed makes for a complex experience when you first get into bed. The same is true of the Purple mattress because the sinking feeling changes depending on how much you weigh. Indeed, Purple is also just a bit softer than GhostBed.

The cooling system on the Purple mattress is perhaps somewhat better. The hyper-elastic polymer means that all layers of the mattress are able to breathe better, which improves the cooling effect. However, this may not matter much if you’re not a hot sleeper, especially being that you can expect to pay around $200 more for this property.

Leesa Mattress

The Leesa mattress is the closest competitor to GhostBed. It’s a three-layer foam mattress with a top layer of Avena foam, which acts similarly to the latex used in GhostBed. Avena foam provides both bounce and response to prevent it from turning into a memory foam sinkhole.

Additionally, the Leesa includes 2” of the latex-like Avena foam whereas GhostBed only adds 1.5”. The Leesa is also a bit cooler than the GhostBed because the Avena foam is more durable and it’s only a 10” mattress, so there’s less foam to worry about. However, as with the other beds, you’ll pay a premium for a bit more cooling, so if you’re not a hot sleeper anyway then you may not need the extra feature. There is however great motion isolation and currently stands as our best mattress for couples.

Nectar

Nectar is another medium mattress, but with four layers, which includes three layers of memory foam with the top 2 layers being gel infused.

The biggest difference between GhostBed and Nectar is the latex and gel comfort layers respectively. This mattress is for people who are more interested in the classic memory foam feel and can do without the bounce provided by GhostBed’s latex. The surface has a slightly lower response time than latex, which means it’s comparably not ideal for those who toss and turn, or who change sleeping positions because it takes a moment for the mattress to reform to fit your body. This, however, translates into a lower rate of motion transfer (which is great) and no bounce.

Nectar has a good cooling system due to its two topmost gel layers and is not as warm as a traditional memory foam mattress. If you’re a hot sleeper, you’d be doing well with a Nectar.

In terms of price, they are both exactly the same when comparing Queen size, at a cost of $795. This is without discounts or promotions of course, which can change the price at any time. Both come vacuum rolled and shipped in a box for convenient delivery.

Don’t worry if you now find you’re torn between GhostBed and Nectar. You can try Nectar free for a whopping 365 nights and return it if you’re unhappy, compared to the 101-night trial provided by Ghostbed.

Conclusion

GhostBed is a mattress with a firmer feel (medium-firm) and a lower price than many of its competitors. Its build quality is excellent for the price, and the cooling system is enough to keep you comfortable during the night unless you’re an incredibly hot sleeper. It is, in fact, one of our top 5 choices of mattress for hot sleepers so far in 2019.

Overall, I like the GhostBed because I appreciate the extra bounce provided by the latex. As I previously mentioned, I am a person who is happy to sleep on a traditional innerspring mattress but who prefers to have the extra support provided by memory foam. The GhostBed mattress is a nice happy medium for me because it has the support I need without sacrificing a bit of bounce on top. And I’m not the only happy customer. Both the mattress and the service GhostBed provides get great reviews across social media.

Are you ready to give this mattress a try for 101 nights? If so, check the latest Ghostbed discounts and coupons for a chance to save money off your next purchase.

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